Patrik Adamec (*1994) is an artist whose creative approach reflects not only his personal experience, but also his deep interest in the urban environment and human archetypes. The Chomutov native, who spent part of his childhood in Florida, brings a unique perspective to his work. Upon returning to the Czech Republic, he decided to study architecture and industrial design at the Czech Technical University, which influenced his later artistic career and perception of space at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.
His artistic practice is defined by a combination of observation and collecting. The artist's explorations of the city's alleys are not only a way of finding forgotten fragments of everyday life, but also a way of uncovering the stories behind each object. His workbench, which he considers a mirror of the soul, is full of unwanted, discarded and forgotten treasures from his urban explorations.
You could have been close to his work back in July during a pop-up exhibition called Still Stuck, or during the open-studio that concluded his two-month residency at the Telegraph.
Adamec won the Critics' Prize for Young Painting in 2023 for works that straddle the line between painting and object. His work combines technical and material skills and explores the psychological landscape associated with his time in the US and Czech Republic, resulting in specific sculptural paintings. Two of these works, titled Tension and Rainy Landscape, can be seen daily in the corridors of the Telegraph. These stylized landscapes were created by enamel painting on canvas, and instead of the traditional stretching on a wooden panel, Adamec filled the landscape relief with foam. This process creates the impression of a soft and cozy environment that invites touch, even though actual contact is forbidden.
On the staircase in the Telegraph, which forms an unusual part of the exhibition space, the works change unannounced and irregularly, so you never know what to expect on your next visit. If you are intrigued by Patrik Adamec's work, feel free to come and see it before it is replaced by other works of art. It could be any moment now!
